Statistics:
- Length:
- 288 km
- Termini:
- Northern: Newell Hwy (NH39 / NR34), Gilgandra
- Southern: Great Western Hwy (NR32), Marrangaroo
- Miscellaneous:
- Continued as Castlereagh Hwy (NR55) from Gilgrandra
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Marrangaroo, Lidsdale, Wallerawang, Blackmans Flat, Portland, Cullen Bullen, Ben Bullen, Capertee, Round Swamp, Running Stream, Ilford, Aarons Pass, Cudgegong, Apple Tree Flat, Mullamuddy, Burrundulla, Mudgee, Caerleon, Menah, Piambong, Cullenbone, Galambine, Gulgong, Beryl, Tallawang, Birriwa, Craboon, Dunedoo, Merrygoen, Mendooran, Breelong and Gilgandra
Route Numbering:
- Current: B55
- Former: 86
- Multiplexed with: 84
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- HW18 (Marrangaroo to Craboon and Dunedoo to Gilgandra)
- HW27 (Craboon to Dunedoo)
General Information:
Castlereagh Highway is a significant highway link in the New South Wales road network, linking towns west of the Great Dividing Range (such as Lithgow) to the central west of the state and eventually to Queensland. The State Route 86 segment, passes through rural and populated areas, linking Lithgow with the agricultural centre of Gilgandra, north of Dubbo (via NR34 / NH39).
The Castlereagh Highway is predominantly a 2-lane road, with sealed shoulders and occasional auxiliary lanes provided for overtaking. The speed limit is generally 100 km/h, with lower speed limits in place in built up areas. Between Mudgee and Gulgong, the 2002 Annual Average Daily Traffic volume (AADT) was around 3000 axle pairs. 2
Multiplexes along the route include:
- State Route 84, for 10 km, between Craboon and Dunedoo.
History:
- 2003: Widening of the Castlereagh Highway near Gulgong and widening of the Castlereagh Highway near Mendooran. 3
- 2004: The Castlereagh Highway between Lidsdale and the Coxs River (north of Lidsdale town centre) upgraded. Work on the project included a deviation around Lidsdale village. 3
- 2007: Castlereagh Highway reconstruction at Black Bull Hill, north of Mudgee. 3
- 2008: Upgrading of the roundabout at the intersection of Church and Horatio Streets (Castlereagh Highway) in Mudgee and installation of a new roundabout at the intersection of Market and Douro Streets (Castlereagh Highway). Also upgrades made to Castlereagh Highway at Ilford (Tabrabucca). 4
- 2011: Realignment of Castlereagh Highway at Cudgegong.
- 2013: State Route 86 decommissioned and replaced by B55 with the introduction of alphanumeric route numbering.
1 NSW Government, Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads and State & Regional Roads, January 2011.
2 NSW Government, NSW Department of Planning, taken from the Sinclair Knight Merz report on the Moolarben Coal Project.
3 NSW Government, Roads and Traffic Authority.
4 Mid Western Regional Council.